Severed Ties
by hollyhobbit101
Summary: The duel between Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald was one of the Wizarding World's most celebrated achievements, and yet what really happened that day still remains a mystery.


**A/N: For the Houses Competition**

 **House: Ravenclaw**

 **Category: Themed**

 **Prompt: "There was once a time that I'd have done anything for your family"**

 **Word count: 800**

* * *

Dumbledore waited for Grindelwald to show. It had been years since he had seen his friend - save for in the Daily Prophet, of course - but Dumbledore hadn't changed so much as he would have the world believe, and he knew Grindelwald hadn't either.

Sure enough, at the exact time specified, Grindelwald appeared in the tree line, smirking gleefully. Age had changed both of them, but there was still that same fire in his eyes that had been there when they were boys, young and stupid.

"Albus," he greeted, holding his hands out. "How good to see you again after all these years."

"I wish I could say the same, Gellert," Dumbledore replied. "But I did not come here to reminisce over the past."

"No, I know. You came here to try and stop me, of course."

"I don't want to do this-" Dumbledore began, pained.

"Oh, I'm sure."

"But you have forced my hand. Everyone has been asking me to do this for months, but I refused. I did not want to fight you, old friend, but I fear that is what it must come to."

"I appreciate the efforts, Albus, but you have not been my friend for many years," Grindelwald countered bitterly. "Oh, there was once a time that I'd have done anything for your family. For you. I almost did. We were going to leave together to find the Hallows, we were going to rule the wizarding world, side by side. It would have been _glorious._ But times change," he growled.

"You should have let me do it, Albus, you should have let me cast that spell on your idiotic brother. What's his name again? Ah, Aberforth. You never know, it may have improved him. If you had only left well enough alone, maybe, just maybe, dear, sweet Ariana might still be alive. Or maybe not. A girl with her affliction wouldn't have lasted long. Still."

Grindelwald shrugged and moved closer to Dumbledore, stopping a mere metre away. "You want to know who killed her, Albus? I could tell you, you know." He closed his eyes and smiled softly. "I remember every second of that fight. I remember every spell I cast. I remember every little movement every one of us made, and I remember what killed her."

"Gellert," Dumbledore warned.

"What, Albus?" he taunted. "Are you scared of what you might hear? Are you scared that it might have been you?"

Dumbledore slid his wand from his pocket and held it tightly at his side. Noticing the movement, Grindelwald laughed maniacally.

"We're getting there now, aren't we Albus? Soon we'll see which one of us really is the best. But not yet. Not yet." He paused, considering his old friend.

"You betrayed me, Albus. You always told me how much you hated your brother, how much you wished you could have been free of that crushing responsibility to protect him and Ariana. Why give that chance up? You could have been with me forever, but you chose them instead. Why?"

"Because it was the right thing to do," Dumbledore ground out.

Grindelwald laughed and began pacing circles around Dumbledore. "Right? So Ariana's death was the right thing? No. You're lying to yourself, Albus, you have been for a long time. It's time to face the truth."

"No," Dumbledore muttered. "It's time to end this."

He reared his arm back and wordlessly threw a curse towards Grindelwald. The smirk dropped off Grindelwald's face and his eyes narrowed as he deftly deflected the curse back at Dumbledore, who dodged, causing an explosion behind him as the red light hit.

* * *

The duel lasted for over three hours, neither combatant seeming to tire or wane in the strength of their spells. Whilst the area was shielded from Muggles, the sounds of battle attracted many witches and wizards from the surrounding towns and cities, and there were hundreds of onlookers staring in awe as the two great wizards fought.

After what seemed like an eternity, Grindelwald lay on the ground, Dumbledore's wand pressed into his neck.

"Go on then, Albus," he whispered mockingly. "End it."

Dumbledore's hard expression wavered into uncertainty, but he merely wrested Grindelwald's wand from his grip and cast a charm to restrain him until magical law enforcement dragged him away to Nurmengard. Reporters from the Daily Prophet attempted to swarm Dumbledore, but he silently pushed his way past, refusing to give comment. It is said that he still won't talk about the duel to this day, despite Rita Skeeter's constant questions every anniversary.

* * *

Grindelwald's defeat was considered one of Dumbledore's greatest achievements, so much so that it was printed on his chocolate frog card. People who didn't know him, therefore, would perhaps think it odd that Dumbledore would name it one of his biggest failures.

* * *

 **A/N: I hope that was okay. Please leave a review if you have a moment! Bye!**


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